Miles Wood scored in overtime to complete the Colorado Avalanche’s comeback from a three-goal deficit, securing a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars in the first game of the Western Conference second-round playoff series.
Miles Wood’s goal in overtime was nothing short of epic. It happened 11:03 into the extra period, flipping the game on its head. This wasn’t just any goal; it clawed back a win from what seemed like an inevitable loss. The Colorado Avalanche were staring down a three-goal deficit but ended up beating the Dallas Stars 4-3. And just like that, they were leading the Western Conference second-round playoff series 1-0. Game 2? It’s set for Thursday night in Dallas. The clock’s ticking down to 9:30 p.m. ET.
Wood was on fire. He outpaced Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen, nabbing a breakaway chance. Then, with a slick move, he slid the puck past Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger. Oettinger, by the way, had made 22 saves up to that point.
The first period didn’t hint at the comeback. Colorado was down 3-0, and things looked grim.
You’ve gotta wonder if fatigue played a role for the Stars. They had just wrapped up a grueling seven-game series against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night. Meanwhile, the Avalanche were coming off a week’s rest. They had dispatched the Winnipeg Jets in five games. Fresh legs can make a world of difference.
Cale Makar was all over the ice, contributing a goal and two assists. Valeri Nichushkin and Nathan MacKinnon weren’t far behind, each adding a goal and an assist to the mix. And let’s not forget Alexandar Georgiev, stopping 19 shots.
MacKinnon’s moment came 39 seconds into the third period. He pounced on a rebound, tying the game at 3-3. Earlier in the day, he’d been named a finalist for the Hart Trophy. Talk about timing.
The Avalanche’s comeback trail blazed through the second period. They netted two power-play goals, closing the gap. Nichushkin, facing his former team, scored 5:31 into the period. That marked his eighth goal of the playoffs and extended his scoring streak to seven games. Makar then brought Colorado within one with a wrist shot at 9:08. That shot from the high slot was a beauty.
The game’s early goals painted a different picture, though. Ryan Suter got the ball rolling for the Stars with a wrist shot at 7:26 into the game. Wyatt Johnston followed up, making it 2-0 off a face-off. Then, Captain Jamie Benn tipped in a power-play goal, pushing the lead to 3-0. Each goal seemed to signal a smooth sail for Dallas, but the Avalanche had other plans.
